Sedona AZ (December 5, 2019) – Sedona Public Library is excited to present local author Robert Louis DeMayo reading from his latest novel The Sirens of Oak Creek on December 17 at 1 p.m. in the Community Room.
This newest work has won a Silver Medal for Literary Fiction from the eLit Book Awards, Best New Historical Mystery in June by Pinnacle Book Awards, and the Book Excellence Awards listed the novel as a finalist in the category of Female Empowerment. DeMayo will also discuss his writing process and sell and sign books at the event on December 17.
by Robert Louis DeMayo
The Sirens of Oak Creek is set in and around a remote high-desert canyon with a cave that holds a secret, and the generations of people who stumble upon it. The story is told through the eyes of eight different women who are all drawn to the canyon. Some of the events in the novel are rooted in historical fact, some in local lore and ancient myths. The pioneer characters are based on real people, and their relations are illustrated in the pioneer lineage section at the end of the novel. But ultimately, DeMayo invites the reader to draw the line between fact and fiction.
“I’ve been fascinated with southwestern history and mythology since I arrived in magical Oak Creek Canyon twenty years ago,” says DeMayo. “This novel embraces twelve hundred years of it. There’s something magical about the wild, remote red-rock canyons of this area, and they have drawn people here for centuries.” DeMayo frames his narrative within the stunning natural beauty of this area throughout the seasons: The novel’s twelve, six-chapter sections each take place in a different month.
DeMayo, a native of Hollis, NH, has lived in many corners of the planet but now makes Sedona his home. He is the author of five previous novels: The Making of Theodore Roosevelt, a fictionalized account of Roosevelt’s first acquaintance with wilderness living; The Light Behind Blue Circles, a mystery thriller set in Africa; The Wayward Traveler, a semi-autobiographical story following a young traveler on his adventures abroad; Pledge to the Wind, The Legend of Everett Ruess, a fictionalized account of the life and times of the young solo traveler; and The Road to Sedona, the story of a young family that heads to Alaska to find work in the wake of 9/11.
Sedona Public Library is glad to present this local author and his work. The event is free and open to all. Sedona Public Library is located at 3250 White Bear Road. For more information call 928-282-7714 or visit sedonalibrary.org.